Comments from Asylum Australia: It's nice to start an Ashes series by breaking a few records. Four centurions in an innings? That's a nice one. Forcing the opposition to go check Cricinfo for details of who exactly was putting them to the sword is another tasty treat. Though I think we all double checked who North was. Then just as they thought it was nice to see the back of Gilchrist, Haddin clatters up a smart-paced ton to add salty tears to many cups of tea across the counties. Now one last hurdle. Who will the weather smile upon in the first Welsh test match?Comments from Asylum UK: Oh dear.
Best of the Aussie pundits
Commitment puts Australian in command
"The England bowlers have to perform better if they hope to contain an extremely confident Australia batting line-up now that the captain is back to his best. However, it is the England batsmen who have to re-evaluate their approach and the first place they should start is by applying themselves to the difficult task ahead." - Ian Chappell, Telegraph
Oh how the worm could turn for unfashionable Hauritz
"Before this match began debate raged about the merits of Ben Hilfenhaus and Hauritz and surprise was expressed that a half-fit Stuart Clark had been omitted in their favour. Few expected them to play any significant role in this match. Australia's chances depended on their new-ball pair, or so the argument ran. Contrastingly, England's attack was balanced and lively, or so they said (on this evidence they've spent too long dealing with half-hearted West Indian show ponies)." - SMH
Best of the British pundits
England's head stuck in the clouds
"In prising out two vital wickets, Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus were everything that England's own attack had failed to be for three long days in the field. If they were caught stealing a glance at the heavens as the light began to fade, it was only as an incentive to make the most of that 30-minute window. England, on the other hand, were content to trundle with their heads, quite literally, in the clouds." - cricinfo.com
Collingwood calls for England's batsmen to take responsibility
"Bopara made the same mistake against Ben Hilfenhaus to depart for a single. If the umpire Billy Doctrove failed to register that the ball appeared to be heading over the top, then Bopara was culpable of not playing straight. For England, the rain that had been promised all day could not come quickly enough." - Guardian
